Brace for Hyundai i30 N with a 2.0-litre turbo that will make the Euros look twice

And although the European media is chock full of reports that the first offering from the South Korean manufacturer’s answer to BMW M division and Mercedes-Benz AMG will feature an uprated 1.6-litre turbo engine with up to 180kW of power, GoAuto is betting the production i30 N will surface with an even more heady 2.0-litre turbo fettled with help from World Rally Championship (WRC) engineers.

When we think of such engines, one stands out: the 224kW/400Nm unit that graced the Veloster-based RM15 concept – short for Racing Midship 2015 – shown at the Seoul motor show in April.

While that car featured a fanciful mid-engine layout and a space-frame chassis that will never make it into production, the engine would fit nicely under the snub nose of the hottest i30 that will forge the path for a whole range of performance Hyundais.

According to Hyundai insiders, the company is not entering into this exercise in a half-hearted manner, meaning it plans to take the fight up to the existing hot-hatch pacemakers with its i30 N that has been spotted in mule form at the Nurburgring.

As we reported 18 months ago, Hyundai announced its N sub-brand – named after the company’s Namyang research and development centre south of Seoul – when it launched the i20 WRC car.

At that time, Hyundai said in a statement that the N brand would bring together the company’s “technology and innovation with the learning from motorsport to provide a new experience for customers”.

Since then, the N skunkworks has been established in league with the WRC development team in Germany, beavering away in secret on future N goodies.

Many pundits thought that with Hyundai entering the i20 in the WRC, a road-going version of the smallest Hyundai might be the first cab off the N rank.

But while the i20 was the best option for the rally assault, due to its optimum footprint, weight and driver preference, the i30 is the most logical starting point for a hot hatch, going head to head with similar C-segment vehicles from almost every European brand, from Volkswagen to Renault to Opel.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia is tight-lipped about developments in Germany, saying only that when such vehicles are available in right-hand drive, it will be right in the queue.

Apart from its engine, the RM15 show car might provide some styling hints for a forthcoming N car, including the blacked-out grille, black-painted 19-inch alloy wheels and mega spoiler.

It is unclear when an i30 N might arrive in showrooms, but considering its European development origins, a Frankfurt motor show unveiling in September could be a logical starting point.

The current most powerful i30 is the 2.0-litre 129kW SR, while the Veloster coupe edges up to 150kW in the 1.6-litre SR Turbo.

Hyundai’s facelifted i30 arrived in Australia in April, a little more than three years into the life of the current generation.

Last month, the five-door hatchback smashed rivals out of the park with a top sales performance, finding a record 5521 new owners to head the monthly sales rankings for the first time.